For the Love of the Captain
by Azlea
Summary: It's been seventy years since Steve Rogers last wooed a woman. It's been seven days since the Avengers saved the world from Loki's army. And it's been seven months since Lillian Stark has seen her brother Tony. When she's suddenly brought to New York for a party, what's the worst that could happen? Rated T cause the characters cuss when angry.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

Steve looked around, confused, at the strange things around him. Everything was different, alien. He didn't know where he was, what was going on, or what he was going to do about it. The dark-skinned man in front of him, wearing an eye patch, was telling him things, but he was still in shock over the whole sleeping for seventy years thing.

A loud yell had everyone looking to the right. A young woman was bounding towards them, vaulting herself onto cars and just generally showing off her skills. The men around Steve all seemed to deflate a bit, as if something about this woman made them feel inferior.

"Hello, peeps," the woman said, catapulting herself into the circle, grinning raucously at the black man. Her long, mahogany brown hair shone almost red, and her bright teal eyes sparkled. "Fury, my man, what's up?"

"Agent Stark, you are interrupting," he said, already exasperated by this girl. Laughing, she punched the man's shoulder lightly and turned to Steve, face lighting up like a little girl's.

"Captain America," she breathed, gazing at him in awe. Then, her face saddened, and she stepped closer to him. Without a second of hesitation, she threw her arms around him and enveloped the shocked man in a hug. "I'm sorry," the woman murmured, patting his back. "I wouldn't have wanted to find out this way either. Don't worry, Fury doesn't mean any harm." She pulled away, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Of course, just because he doesn't mean it, doesn't mean it won't happen." Shrugging, she patted Steve's shoulder.

"Miss Stark, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Fury said, glaring at her impatiently. She waved him away.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving. But first, Steve needs time, to learn about everything. And not in a way that will overwhelm or scare him off." She shot Fury a pointed look. "I'll be his guide, if he's alright with that. After all, I am the only one here who even qualifies. Besides, I'm sure any agent you assign will scare the living daylights out of him." The brunette turned back to Steve, eyes shining. "Don't worry, Cap. You can do it. I believe in you, soldier."

With a salute, the woman ran off. Steve watched her go, strangely impressed by her. He looked at Fury, curious.

"Who was she?" he asked, adding a 'sir.' Fury shook his head.

"Lillian Stark, one of SHEILD's most… interesting agents. Just, try to keep up."

**A/N: So, this story's gonna be just little different than the last. Some of the chapters will be in third person, to get a point across, while the rest will be in the point of view of my new heroine. I hope you like it! Feedback is nice, if you feel like reviewing. :D**


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

The sun shone down brightly and warmly, bringing beads of sweat to my brow. Sighing heavily, I swiped a hand across my forehead and looked up, glaring at the sun. "Darn you," I muttered, looking back at the ground. My partner in crime, Tony Stark, laughed at me. Then groaned as he took a boot to the head.

"Honestly, Lily, why do you do that all the time?" he whined, rubbing his forehead, where the boot had hit. I grinned, skipping down the street, away from him. Growling, he chased after me, ignoring the looks we were getting.

"I do that because you deserve it. BOOT TO THE HEAD!" I screamed, chucking another boot at him.

"I'm gonna get you for that," he called, catching up to me and putting me in a headlock. I laughed, collapsing onto the ground, taking him with me. An older couple passing by smiled at us, and I waved at them, smiling back.

"Have a nice day!" I called to them as they walked away. Tony raised an eyebrow as I pushed him off me and stood up. "What? I'm being polite. Politeness goes a long way in small towns, believe me."

"Tell me again why we're here, in the middle of nowhere Montana?" he asked, standing up as well. Shrugging, I started back down the street.

"I like Montana. We're hunting for a new place for me to live, 'member?"

"And I'm here because?"

"Because, oh grumpy one, your father thought I was the bee's knees and adopted me. Therefore, you are my brother, and as my brother, you are helping me figure out what I should do." Sighing, Tony followed me down the street.

"Sometimes I wish he hadn't adopted you," he muttered.

"That hurts, right here," I said with a pout, pointing to my heart. Rolling his eyes, Tony slung an arm around my shoulders. "So, what do you think?" I asked. We'd stopped in front of a small cottage-like house, yellow with white trim. One story, white door with a window, a small porch with a flower garden in front. There were two windows on the front, one on each side of the porch. A cobblestone path cut through the front lawn from the gate in the fence to the porch.

"No way am I letting my adoptive sister move to some godforsaken town in the middle of nowhere." I glared at him, and he shrugged. "Besides, this house is way too quaint for you. Nope, you are not moving here."

"Alright, my decision is made. I'm gonna buy this house."

"Of course you are," Tony grumbled, rolling his eyes. Laughing, I pulled him into the house. The front room was rather large, the outside of the house having been deceptive about its size. Cream colored walls and a dark, hardwood floor was all the room had at that moment, but it didn't detract from its charm in the slightest. Dragging Tony along behind me, I forayed into the kitchen, which was just as sweet as the outside of the house, with cheery yellow walls, wood flooring, and bright white cabinets. The countertops were of a pale stone that looked almost like marble.

Continuing with the tour, Tony and I ventured into the bathrooms and bedrooms, which were, like the rest of the house, quaint, charming, and empty.

"I just don't see it, Lil," Tony muttered as we left. I shrugged.

"Too bad. I like it, and I'm gonna buy it. Besides, you're not the one who's going to live in it."

"Yeah? Well, you're going to force me to visit you. You always do."

"I shouldn't have to force you, Tony. You are my brother, after all."

"Lillian Marie Stark, you are irritating."

"Thank you! It makes me happy that someone appreciates it." I grinned raucously, mahogany brown hair flopping into my face. Tony rolled his eyes, ruffling my hair and getting more of it on my face. Pouting, I punched his shoulder. "Don't touch my hair, Anthony Stark, or I will hurt you."

"You can't hurt me," he challenged, turning away haughtily. I raised an eyebrow.

"You wanna bet?" I asked, crossing my arms. "You may be Iron Man, but I've been your sister for much longer than you've been saving the world. I know how to take you down, mister."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Oh, scary," he teased. With a smirk, I pounced and knocked him to the ground. A brief scuffle ensued, ending with me sitting on Tony's stomach, a grin plastered on my face. He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, I give up. You win."

"Okay. Now, let's go buy this house!"

**A/N Alright, so this story will be relatively light and fluffy. I hope you guys like it. Please review and tell me what you think; it always makes my day and motivates me to do the best I can. **

**On another note, I'm a champion in Classical Duo Speech and Drama! Cause my partner and I are just that epic. :D**


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ing riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing

"For the love of God," I groaned, rolling over in bed and reaching for the cell phone on my nightstand. "This better be life threatening. Speak."

"Good morning to you too, Lily, my darling," came Tony's voice from the phone.

"Good morning?" I growled. "It's 3 freakin' o'clock! Why can't you call at a normal time?"

"I'm sorry, sis. It is a normal time over here."

"Five o'clock in the morning is NOT a normal time to call anyone, oh dear brother of mine." Grumbling, I sat up and leaned against my bed's headboard. "Now, why did you call me so god-awfully early in the morning?"

"Weeeeeell… you heard about the whole Loki thing, right?"

"Of course I did, Tony. I live in Montana, not under a rock." Shaking my head at his stupidity, I tapped my fingers lightly across the nightstand. "And you called me at 3 why?"

"Well, everyone'll be dispersing soon, so we're throwing a little party. And I thought I'd be a nice big brother and invite you, too." He sounded so proud of himself. I snickered.

"You, a nice big brother? That'll be the day."

"Don't be so rude, missy. I still have those pictures of your twenty-first birthday, and I'm not afraid to post them on Facebook."

"Don't you dare, Tony. Or else."

"Or else what?"

"Or else I'll come to New York, drop you from the top of Stark Tower, push you down a few flights of stairs, and then let you sit in a tank with some piranhas for a little while. And then I might take mercy on you. Or not." I shrugged.

"Oh, dear sister of mine, you are positively evil." Tony's voice dripped with sarcasm and mock fear. I laughed.

"I try. Anyway, I would like to go back to sleep now. I have a job to do in the morning, and I'd like to be well rested so I'm not cranky."

"Fine, be that way. Party's in a week. I've already sent the tickets. You should get them tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes. Just like Tony, to assume I was going to come. I was, but still. I might have said no. "Alright. See you in a week, then."

"Go back to sleep, wimp."

"Meanie," I muttered, hanging up on Tony's laughter. By this time, I'd been woken up, and I knew it would be some time before I'd be able to fall asleep. Might as well find something to waste the time.

Yawning, I picked up an old Captain America comic from the stack on the nightstand. You could call me obsessed, but something about the Captain made me curious. And not just because my father had known him, though that must account for part of it. He was… different than most people I knew.

And so, sipping the lemonade from that evening that was also on the nightstand, I reread about Captain America and his adventures until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

**A/N So, here's the next chapter, me hearties! What'd you think? Go ahead, type a review. I won't bite. ^-^**

**I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day, or Single's Awareness Day, whichever you prefer. Mine was alright, although the guy I like asked one of my best friends to prom. At least I had chocolate! :D**


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

With a heavy sigh, I stepped out of the office. I'd just finished telling the principle why she was going to need to find a sub for me for a week. She seemed okay with it, which was strange. Normally, she freaks out if someone's going to be gone for even a day.

This, of course, should have warned me that something was up. But, as it was a Friday and I was cleared to go visit my crazy brother and his friends in New York City, I didn't care. Besides, I still had some packing to do, and I was going to have to get it done fast if I wanted to make it to Billings in time to catch my flight.

"Hey, Lily!" a voice called from down the hall. I turned, recognizing the speaker as Edith Hill, one of my neighbors. She was always trying to set me up on blind dates.

"Yes?" I asked pleasantly, running my fingers through my bangs to sweep the hair out of my face. Edith smiled.

"Do you have any plans for Friday?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Actually, I do. Why?" She sighed.

"Well, my husband has a friend that I think you'd really like." I shook my head.

"I've told you, I'm not looking for a boyfriend." Edith shook her head, as if I was stupid or something. Don't get me wrong or anything, a boyfriend would be nice, but wasn't necessary. Besides, I already had a sorta boyfriend. "And anyway," I added, "I'll be in New York for the next week."

"Well, that's too bad. Maybe some other time."

"Maybe," I responded, stifling a chuckle. "Well, goodbye!" Waving, I turned and walked briskly down the hall, ready to be gone. I couldn't wait for this party. I hadn't seen Tony in a couple months, and I was looking forward to seeing the rest of the Avengers.

Also, I was ready for some Broadway.

When I got home, I rushed around, trying to find my favorite pair of jeans, which I'd already packed. Then I moved on to searching for my favorite party dress, which I'd shoved in my carryon bag for some reason. And then I couldn't find my phone.

After I'd found everything I needed, my beautiful house looked like a tornado had gone through it. I didn't bother tidying up. No one was going to see it, and if someone broke in, well, they could clean it up if it bothered them that much.

A few hours later, I was on the plane. I hadn't been in New York in a long time, and I was excited. The young man sitting next to me gave me a once over when I took my seat, but after that he ended up glaring at me. I might have been a little hyper and annoying. I couldn't help it.

Sighing, I rested my head against the headrest of my seat. There was an hour left to my flight, and I just wanted to get it over with. That, of course, was when my brother decided to check in on me.

"Hello, Metal Head," I murmured, answering my phone. Tony chuckled.

"That's a new one, dork," he replied. Rolling my eyes, I tapped my fingers on the armrest.

"Why are you so mean to me?"

"You're mean to me!"

"Only because you're a terrible person."

"Me, a terrible person? I'm afraid you've been sadly misinformed, my dear Lillian. I, Tony Stark, saved the world."

"You? Save the world?" I burst into laughter, prompting my neighbor to glare at me. I rolled my eyes and continued, "Just kidding. Though, it wasn't just you, doofus. The Avengers helped."

"Whatever." Tony sounded just like the average teenage girl, and I tried to hold back a giggle.

"I'm gonna have to let you go."

"Why?"

"I think I'm annoying my neighbor." Tony scoffed, and I shushed him. "Bye, Tony. I'll see you in an hour or so."

"See ya."

Closing my phone, I let out a sigh. This was taking way too long. Normally I love flying, but I was just too excited for it to be fun this time. I leaned my head against the seat and closed my eyes, wanting to sleep.

**A/N Sorry for the wait on this one. I've been having a busy couple of weeks. Hopy y'all had a good Valentine's Day. And by that, I mean that I hope it was better than mine, because mine sucked epically. But I had One Direction and the Avengers and good books to make it all better. And really nerdy Valentines that cracked me up. :D**

**I hope you're like the story so far. Pleas review, if you've got the time and inclination to do so, because I'd love to hear what you think. Your support means a whole bunch to me. ^.^ Love y'all!**

**On another note, I watched the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a lot last weekend, and I've decided that I am going to become one when I grow up. Because that makes so much sense. XD**


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

Tony Stark leaned against the doorframe of the building. His eyes swept across his friends as they sat, arguing, outside of a little café that had miraculously survived the alien attack the prior week. A beep caused him to glance at his phone, and then, with a smirk, saunter over to the group.

Natasha was the first to notice him and his smirk. "What is it?" she asked warily, eyes focused on the billionaire. He chuckled.

"I've called in the big guns," he said. Natasha and Clint immediately grinned, knowing exactly what he was referring to. The others gave him somewhat confused looks.

"The big guns?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The biggest and loudest," Tony replied, and the light bulb when off over both Bruce and Thor's heads. Steve, unfortunately, was still lost. He looked up at Tony, a question in his eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"You probably haven't met her," Clint said, shrugging. "Referred to as the big guns due to several incidents involving rocket launchers, RPGs, and several missiles." He, Natasha, and Tony shared a look and started laughing.

"We call her, affectionately of course, the Bitch," Tony stated. Natasha rolled her eyes.

"You call her the Bitch. Just you," she said, shaking her head.

"And we would call her Control," Bruce muttered, taking a bite of his shwarma.

"Fury calls her a pain in the ass," Clint added, earning laughter from the others. "That's one agent he'll never be able to keep on a leash."

"Yeah. Remember when she pretended to be him? Got the outfit and everything. She started giving orders in this low voice, and people started obeying them. When Fury walked in he was furious," Natasha said, shaking her head with a smile.

"And that one time she tied Tony to a rocket?" Clint laughed. "Said that since he seemed to have a death wish, she'd satisfy it for him."

"That was not funny," Tony muttered imperiously.

"But it was," Clint goaded. They looked about ready to come to blows when a sleek black car pulled up next to the sidewalk. The door opened, and a nicely shaped tan leg, followed by another, set itself gently down on the pavement, red heels clicking softly. A hand with long, thin fingers grabbed the top of the door. And then the young woman emerged from the car, teal eyes sparkling, 50's style red dress rustling in the wind. A red bag hung off of one wrist. Her brown hair floated in the wind, and she placed a hand on top of her floppy sun hat to keep it from flying off her head.

"Speak of the devil," Tony said, grinning. The woman grinned back, closing the car door and walking towards the group.

"Hey, moron," the woman greeted, laughing, "how's life?"

Steve Rogers stared at the woman as she advanced towards them, shock written all over his face. Suddenly, he stood. "Lily?" he asked. The woman looked over, and her grin grew.

"Steve!" she called, running towards him and throwing her arms around his neck. "Getting used to the new era, are we? Please tell me you've not embarrassed yourself too bad since the malt shop." A flush came to Steve's cheeks, and Lily laughed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You two know each other?" Bruce asked. The brunette woman nodded, pulling away and patting Steve's head.

"I'm his guide."

"And you didn't teach him about the finer workings of technology?" Tony asked, remember that time back on the Helicarrier when the Captain had only been able to tell Tony that the engine ran on electricity.

"Tony, I'm not a mechanic, and neither is he. How was I to know he'd need to understand wires and stuff?"

"You're supposed to be a genius, Lillian."

"So are you! Honestly." Rolling her eyes, the woman flounced over to an empty chair and took a seat. The others grinned. The siblings were well-known around SHIELD for their inability to get along for more than five minutes, at the most. Fury tried not to have Lily work on anything involving Iron Man, but sometimes… Tony showed up an awful lot, just to annoy his sister.

It certainly didn't help that Lily had a love for making things explode.

**A/N: Okay, I am EXTREMELY sorry for not updating in so long. I've been busy, but not quite busy enough to warrant not updating. . I'M SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!**


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

"And if you hit this button at the right time, your character will say something mean, just for kicks and giggles," I finished, pointing out the appropriate button on the controller Steve held in his hands. Currently, while Pepper and Tony were smoothing out some details about the party (mostly how they were going to get Fury to not ruin everything by being, well, Fury), I was teaching the Cap to play Soul Caliber Four.

"What's the point of that?" Steve asked, frowning. I laughed.

"Just for kicks and giggles," I said again, turning the game on. "It's a taunt, and it's supposed to make your opponent angrier or something. I just think it's funny, is all." Grinning, I curled up on my couch cushion, leaning against the armrest, feet tucked up under my butt. Steve sat up straight on his half of the couch, staring intently at the character screen.

Quickly, I made my character choice, picking my favorite. She had this giant staff thing with a blade at the end, which she slams on her opponent from a safe enough distance. She also kicks people in the face, which is pretty awesome in my book.

Not knowing the strengths and weaknesses of any of the characters, Steve just let the game pick a random one for him. He ended up with a character that my friends and I refer to as Squigily Squid, due to the extremely weird way he moves. It's like he has no bones, and it's really creepy.

"I'm so going to kick your butt, Cap," I teased as the match started. A smile worked its way onto my face as I proceeded to demolish him in several rounds of the game, over and over. In fact, he was doing so terribly I was surprised he hadn't quit yet.

"I'm going to win this time," he muttered as we started yet another match. This time, I was Darth Vader, and we were on the Death Star. Totally my favorite place in the game.

"Dude, it's on," I answered, completely serious. The only sounds in the room were those from the game as the fight commenced, both Steve and I completely focused.

"GOD DANG IT!" I shrieked ten minutes later, throwing my controller to the floor as I watched Vader fall to the ground. "COME ON, VADER! AND ON YOUR OWN SHIP, TOO!" With an unintelligible cry, I fell of the couch and onto the ground, beating the floor with my fists. I heard Steve laughing, so I looked up and fixed him with a glare. "Why you hatin' on me, bro? All I ever wanted to do was win!"

"Lily? It's just a game," Steve began, and I sat up quickly.

"Just a game? What?" I barked. "IT'S NOT JUST A GAME! IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES EVER AND I JUST LOST TO A MAN WHO DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO WORK A CELL PHONE! ARGH!" With that, I dived face-first into a pillow on the floor and screamed into it. Laughing, Steve crouched down next to me.

"Just so you know, he cheated," came Tony's voice from the doorway to the living room. My head shot up, and I scrutinized the Captain, who gave me an innocent look. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tony leaning against the doorframe, beer in hand.

"I did no such thing," Steve said, looking affronted.

"How in the world could he have cheated, Tony, when he barely knows how to play?"

"He was button mashing."

"Tony, button mashing hardly counts as cheating. It's just annoying. Like you." I rolled my eyes, pushing myself into a sitting position. I used my arms to prop myself up, and my right arm brushed against Steve's. A light blush rose on my face as I looked at him, then looked away.

"So, Steve, I'm going to give up on this game. I've lost my faith," I sighed dramatically, and earned a chuckle from the Cap. "You wanna watch a movie or something? Because I really don't want to know why I have a voicemail from the caterer wanting to know where to drop of the thirty pounds of shrimp that I did not order." I tossed a glare in Tony's direction. He smirked and sauntered out of the room.

"I swear that man will be the death of me," I muttered, climbing back onto the couch. "Cap, come join me, and let's watch a movie that kind of reminds me of you. HERCULES!"

**A/N: Okay, I'm sorry for my strange updating patterns. This story, even though I've been planning it for over a year, is throwing me for a loop. I've got good news and bad news. The good news- I had the next couple chapters written. The bad news- They were crap. I didn't like where it was going, so I scrapped it all and started over.**

**But I now have inspiration and drive, delivered to me in the form of Iron Man 3, which I watched last night. :D It was AMAZING!**

**Also, I met Captain America last week. Totally made my life, right there. He gave me a hug! :D I was being such a nerd, gosh, but it is what it is. AWESOME!**

**I hope you guys like this chapter, because I got up at five this morning to write it for you. That's how much I love you guys. I got up before six to write you this story. You're welcome.**

**Okay, I guess I'm done here. See y'all on the next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

_"What is it about us humans that makes us so self-destructive? Why do we feel the need to ruin the happiness of someone else, the beauty of the world? What is it?"_

_ Steve tilted his head slightly, looking at the young woman next to him. She stared out at the rain pounding on the window, watching it trail down the glass. Her teal eyes contained measures of sadness and loneliness, balanced by an awe and wonder at the beauty of the water falling from the sky. She knew where it came from, and why it fell, but that didn't take away from the mystery given by a heavy rainfall._

_ "I don't know," Steve answered, blue eyes trained on his companion. A sigh left the woman's lips, but they turned up in a smile as she turned to look at him. That smile lit up her entire face, taking his breath away; it was like the sun had taken residence just beneath her skin, and its light and warmth radiated from her._

_ "Neither do I," she replied, laughing. "Maybe it's a question better left to the philosophers. At any rate, this is no way to spend a rainy day, staring out the window and asking unanswerable questions." Grinning, the woman offered her hand to Steve. "Come, young grasshopper," she quipped, leading the man out of the building._

_ Outside, the rain fell fast enough that it bounced off the pavement as it hit the ground. Steve looked at his companion as she stepped out into the downpour, instantly getting drenched, and spun around in a circle, arms extended._

_ "Lily?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. The woman laughed and dragged him into the pouring rain with her._

_ "It's just water, Steve. It's not going to hurt you," she said teasingly, rolling her eyes._

_ "I know that," Steve replied._

_ "Then get out here and dance with me, soldier. That's what this rain is here for." So saying, Lily captured the Captain's hands in hers and spun them around. A song bubbled out of Lily's lips as they spun, and soon they were twirling to and fro in a passable jitterbug. The rain kept coming, but neither Steve nor Lily seemed to care much at all, for their dance was all they had in mind._

_ Bystanders along the street and inside the various buildings stopped to watch the pair spinning around in the downpour, singing and laughing. Lily's eyes twinkled with mirth and happiness, and a grin that Steve hadn't grinned since before he was frozen had made its way onto his face. Neither of them had had this much fun in a very long time._

_ And so, ignoring the stares of strangers, they danced._

…

"Mmm," I hummed, stretching out. The living room was dark, and I cast my eyes around in the dimness. A sigh from next to me drew my attention, and I turned to see Steve sprawled across the half of the couch that I wasn't on. His eyes twitched under his eyelids, but a smile curved his lips. Such a smile was hard to come by when he was awake, saddened as he was about not being in his own time.

Smiling slightly in response, I rose, trying not to disturb the Captain and the good dream I could tell he was having. Moonlight filtered in through the floor to ceiling window that was the back wall. It had been a long time since I'd been here, but I kept this apartment anyway. First, it was a prime piece of real estate that I just so happened to own, so why not keep it? And second, though I was unofficially not a SHEILD agent anymore, it was just that- unofficial. If Fury were to call me back, I would have to come.

In the stillness of the night, a memory floated to the forefront of my mind. A rainy day here in New York, teaching Steve to dance. The touch of the rain, my hand's in Steve's, our eyes locked as we spun and laughed.

A smile curved my lips and I made my way outside and onto the balcony. The cool night air swirled around me as I leaned against the railing and looked out across the city. Though many were asleep, many others were not, and the stars in the sky were not visible for all the light produced by the city.

"Lily?" a tired voice asked from the entrance to the apartment, and I turned. Steve stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes. His golden hair fell into those blue eyes as soon as he moved his hand, and a smile played about my lips.

"Good morning, Cap," I said, beckoning him over. His bare feed padded quietly across the ground, and he joined me in gazing at the city. We were silent, listening to the honking of car horns, the distant sounds of people, the noise of construction.

"I wish it would rain," I murmured, watching a cloud scurry across the moon. Steve nodded, obviously deep in thought. A cool breeze rustled through, mussing his already messy hair and playing with mine. A shiver crept up my spine, and I shifted closer to the Captain, though he didn't seem to notice.

Arms touching, we looked out at our world together.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, I've finally been blessed with inspiration again! :D And, as this is the last week of school and summer vacation is about to start, I'll have more time to work on this. I hope you like it! Love y'all!**


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

The pitter-patter of rain falling woke me up, and I blinked the sleep from my eyes to look out at the misty grey morning. After watching the city with the Captain for almost an hour, he'd gone back inside to crash on the couch, while I curled up on the couch under the awning on the large balcony. My blankets made a cocoon of warmth that my body didn't want to leave. Feeling indulgent that morning, I obliged.

A cough from the doorway caught my attention, and I turned my head to see Steve standing awkwardly, holding two mugs of coffee. Smiling, I waved him over.

"And now, it truly is morning, Cap," I teased, accepting a mug from him. I sipped it cautiously, remembering an instance back when he was still brand new to all of my techno-gadgets. He'd obviously learned how to use the coffee machine since then, because this coffee was the best I'd ever had. Rich and creamy, with a touch of caramel and a fruity tang that I believe was strawberry. "This is amazing," I commented.

Steve acknowledged the compliment with a nod and a slight upturning of the edges of his lips. He took a seat on the end of the couch, next to my feet. "What are your plans today, before the party?" he asked, gripping his mug in both hands and staring out at the buildings. I thought for a moment.

"Well, Pepper, Natasha and I were planning on taking an hour or so to shop; just us girls for a bit. Why?" I asked, taking another sip of the wonderful coffee. Steve looked at his feet, seeming uncharacteristically nervous.

"I was wondering if you'd like to meet me for lunch," he murmured, his voice so quiet I almost missed his answer. A smile as bright as the sun lit up my face, though Steve, still looking at his feet, didn't see it.

"Of course I would!" I answered, a laugh bubbling up out of my throat. "Why don't we meet here at noon, and then we can go wherever?"

"Sure," Steve answered, looking mildly surprised that I'd accepted his offer. I grinned at his naivety; as if I'd ever turn down a chance to spend time with the Captain! I'd always dreamed of meeting him, and when I finally did, it was as if everything in the world had stopped. From the moment I'd laid eyes on him, I knew that he was perfect. The time I'd spent with him before I'd left had only cemented that thought in my brain. Every long walk we took, movie we watched, place we visited had only increased the affection I'd already held for the man; and soon enough, something became very clear.

Steve Rogers, the famous Captain America, was the most amazing, wonderful man I had ever met. And I was completely in love with him.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I am so so so sorry for taking so long to update. And I really have no legit excuse, other than the fact that I'm a lazy procrastinator who tries to be funny to outweigh how sappy I'm being, but I end up coming off as crazy. Anyway, I'm sorry it's short, I promise I'll have the next chapter up ASAP, kay? Love y'all! :D**


	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

"So, what's going on between you and the Captain?" Natasha asked, glancing up from a magazine at me. Pepper, Natasha and I were at a little boutique somewhere in the city, looking for something to wear to the party.

"Nothing," I said shrugging. "At least, nothing real," I added, flipping through a copy of Cosmopolitan. Pepper raised an eyebrow.

"Ooh, I think Miss Lily has a crush on the Cap," she teased, laughing when I turned bright red. Muttering angrily under my breath, I looked away from her and focused on the Cosmo. Which probably wasn't the best of ideas, because the page I was on was very… _explicit._ Feeling my face burn even more, I looked out the window.

Seeing my rather embarrassed face, Pepper took a seat next to me, looking at the open magazine, and laughed. "Lily! Why would you read such a thing? I'd expect this from Tony, but not you!" she exclaimed with mock surprise, grinning at me. "You've got a dirty mind, Lil. Imagining doing that with the Cap?"

By this time, I felt like my face was on fire, and I threw the Cosmo down. Natasha and Pepper laughed as I stood and stomped away from the cluster of plush leather armchairs and towards racks of clothes. Pepper followed, but I ignored her and began to search through the racks.

"Come on, Lil, I was just joking," Pepper said with a smile, watching as I pulled a slinky red dress off the rack. It was pretty, but my nose wrinkled at just how exposing it was; and so, it was put back. I continued to ignore Pepper as I looked through the dresses.

Finally, one caught my eye. I was never one to wear white, as I have the remarkable ability to attract everything colorful and staining nearby when I wear that particular color; but this dress would have to be an exception. It was simple and beautiful. Just a strapless little white silk dress, which draped like the dress of an ancient Greek goddess. The fabric hit at the knees in the front, but trailed down to the ankle in the back. A wide gold belt went around the waist.

"It's so pretty," I breathed, staring down at it. Pepper poked her head over my shoulder and grinned.

"Go try it on," she urged, ushering me into the dressing room. When I stepped out, the dress fluttering about my legs, both Pepper and Natasha nodded.

"Perfect," Pepper stated as, at a sign from her, I twirled around so they could see the whole thing. "Like a sexy little angel," she added.

"Wonderful. That's exactly what I was going for," I muttered, rolling my eyes. Natasha laughed, examining a pair of golden heels that matched the dress's belt.

"Just wait till the Cap sees you in that," she said, turning the shoe over in her hands. "He won't be able to keep his eyes off you."

"Or his hands," Pepper added with a wink, sidestepping a kick aimed at her leg. Laughing, she began to search through the jewelry.

"Come on, guys. I really don't think Steve is really after a relationship right now. He's still angry about everything that he's missed, and trying to catch up."

"Which is why you're perfect for him," Natasha said, holding up a long gold chain with a key pendant. "Pretty, smart, tech-savvy, not to mention you're a teacher. More specifically, _his_ teacher. I don't think it's that much of a stretch to say he has a thing for you."

Pepper nodded. "Honestly, Lil, from the looks you two have been sending each other since you got here, I'd say you're both madly in love. Don't let him get away. If you do, I'm afraid I'll have to kick your butt."

"Oh, as if you could do that. You do remember that I am, or was, a SHEILD agent, and that I'm also a ninja?"

"Please, Lily, there's no need for exaggeration. You are not a ninja, you simply know karate."

"I _am _a ninja.… Did you see that?"

"What?"

"Exactly."

**A/N: Geeze, I am terrible. I totally broke my promise to update soon; I haven't updated all summer! I'M SORRY! I really have no excuse, other than the fact that I am an extreme procrastinator, and I've been brain farting with this whole story. ARGGGH! I'm trying, I really am.**

**In other news, because of my writer's block on this, I started another story. I haven't decided if I'll wait till I'm done with this to post it, or what, but it will be up eventually.**

**Also, my turkeys got attacked by a dog this morning, and there are feathers everywhere. Just thought you'd like to know. :D**


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